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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. perch — the fish
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. swing — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — the tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. swing — in golf
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. saw — the tool
  18. current — of water
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitch — completely
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. swing — to play on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com